Corfu is home port for TUI Cruises and AIDA Cruises
home port
01 Jul 2022
/ 21:32
CORFU. Cruise ship arrivals are expected to be at the same level as 2019, but with less passengers for now.
Corfu has become a home port in the last few years, which brings greater benefits for the local economy, especially during the months when there are not many tourists.
Two companies in particular - TUI Cruises and the German AIDA Cruises - have chosen Corfu as a home port, i.e. the port at which the cruise ships are based.
In particular, the TUI Cruises’ ‘Marella Explorer’ arrives every Friday and has a capacity of 1,924 passengers, while the ‘AIDA Blu’ arrives every Sunday and has a capacity of 2,450 passengers. “The number of people arriving due to home porting is very good and it brings money to the island, as passengers who travel with the cruise ships and come by air usually stay in Corfu a week before or after the cruise,” Corfu Port Authority Managing Director Spyros Zervopoulos told Enimerosi.
Positive impact
He said that home porting has a very positive impact for the island, especially in the months where usually there are not many tourists, such as April, May, September, October and November. “The number of passengers coming to the island from this home port during these months is very good,” explained Mr. Zervopoulos.
420 cruise ships
Cruise ship arrivals at Corfu Port are expected to be at the same level as 2019, as there are 420 arrivals scheduled. The arrivals are currently at 60%, but in the coming days they are expected to increase. According to Mr. Zervopoulos, the passengers are mainly from England, France, Italy and America.
The cruise season in Corfu started in March, while the last cruise ship of the year is expected to arrive on 21 November. However, in 2023, as Mr. Zervopoulos said, there is expected to be a huge number of cruise ships worldwide. “Last year was a difficult year for cruise ships. This year is the first normal year and it seems that 2023 will be a record year worldwide,” he concluded.
Two companies in particular - TUI Cruises and the German AIDA Cruises - have chosen Corfu as a home port, i.e. the port at which the cruise ships are based.
In particular, the TUI Cruises’ ‘Marella Explorer’ arrives every Friday and has a capacity of 1,924 passengers, while the ‘AIDA Blu’ arrives every Sunday and has a capacity of 2,450 passengers. “The number of people arriving due to home porting is very good and it brings money to the island, as passengers who travel with the cruise ships and come by air usually stay in Corfu a week before or after the cruise,” Corfu Port Authority Managing Director Spyros Zervopoulos told Enimerosi.
Positive impact
He said that home porting has a very positive impact for the island, especially in the months where usually there are not many tourists, such as April, May, September, October and November. “The number of passengers coming to the island from this home port during these months is very good,” explained Mr. Zervopoulos.
420 cruise ships
Cruise ship arrivals at Corfu Port are expected to be at the same level as 2019, as there are 420 arrivals scheduled. The arrivals are currently at 60%, but in the coming days they are expected to increase. According to Mr. Zervopoulos, the passengers are mainly from England, France, Italy and America.
The cruise season in Corfu started in March, while the last cruise ship of the year is expected to arrive on 21 November. However, in 2023, as Mr. Zervopoulos said, there is expected to be a huge number of cruise ships worldwide. “Last year was a difficult year for cruise ships. This year is the first normal year and it seems that 2023 will be a record year worldwide,” he concluded.
